Effects of Irrigation on Soil and Wheat Yield under Drought Conditions in Sichuan.

In order to study the effective water-saving cultivation of wheat in Sichuan under drought conditions to reduce grain loss, the effects of different irrigation methods (natural rainfall, artificial irrigation, and infiltrating irrigation) on soil physical characteristics and main agronomic characters and yield of wheat were analyzed. The results showed that different irrigation treatments at different growth stages had different effects on soil physical characteristics and agronomic characters of wheat. At the seedling and jointing stage, there were small differences between the treatments in soil compactness, soil bulk density, and soil water content. At the flowering and maturation stage, different irrigation treatments had great impacts on soil compactness, soil bulk density, soil water content, and agronomic characters of wheat. In the hilly areas of Sichuan Basin, infiltrating irrigation at the jointing stage was the best, and wheat yield increased significantly, 2 113.46 kg/hm² higher than that in the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]